Interactive container with spinning wheel

ABSTRACT

A container having a spinning wheel for selective display of visually observable information associated with the container, the wheel being mounted within a pocket employing a hub derived from the wheel and fixedly secured within the pocket. A method is disclosed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a non-provisional application claiming priority on U.S. Provisional Application No: 60/477,212 filed on Jun. 9, 2003, entitled Interactive Container with Flap Panel and Spinning Wheel, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] Not Applicable

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0003] The present invention relates to containers for consumer goods. It is particularly related to containers formed from a paperboard or paperboard laminate which are useful for retail packaging of CDs, DVDs, cassettes, books, etc. More particularly, the invention relates to packaging for consumer goods wherein the packaging includes graphics and/or words which are changeable by the consumer without opening the container.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

[0004] Packaging for consumer goods which includes graphics and/or words which are changeable selectively by the consumer without opening the container are known in the art, generally. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,319 discloses a container for pencils, pens or the like wherein the packaging includes front and back panels which overlie one another and define a thin pocket therebetween. A window is defined in the front panel of the packaging and a wheel displaying graphics and/or words, is rotatably mounted within the pocket. A portion of the wheel is available externally of the pocket to be engaged by a consumer and rotated to display the graphics and/or words printed on that face of the wheel which faces the window. An eyelet is employed to rotatably mount the wheel. This, and similar known rotatably wheel devices incorporated into packaging for consumer goods require some form of a mechanical hub about which the wheel rotates. Eyelets and the like are not readily incorporated into such packaging, hence undesirably add to the cost of the manufacture of the packaging. Further, eyelets have a tendency to become dislodged from the their initial anchoring to the packaging material, which in many instances is thin and of a relatively inexpensive material having little inherent strength for retaining the eyelet.

[0005] Moreover, the known prior art packaging which includes a spinning wheel incorporate the wheel directly into the container itself, thereby limiting the degree of exposure of the printed graphics and/or words on the wheel through an opening in a panel of the container. This limitation of the spinning wheel type consumer packaging has been addressed in other prior art which employs sliding panels mounted within pouches defined between overlying panels of the packaging. The pouches may be integrally formed with the container itself or appended as an integral part of the package itself. These prior devices suffer several disadvantages, including the difficulty of mounting the sliding panel such that a portion thereof is presented to the consumer for grasping to move the panel past a window defined in a covering panel of the container, the need for near full extraction of the panel from its pouch to display the information printed on the panel at the window, the difficulty of precluding the panel from being completely withdrawn from its pouch and potentially damaged or lost as consumers examine the goods before purchase, and the inability to retain the sliding panel within its pouch as the packaged is handled during storage, transport of other handling of the package between the manufacturer and the ultimate consumer of the goods.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a container for consumer goods in particular, which includes a spinning wheel having visibly observable information, such as graphics and/or words, printed on at least one of its opposite flat faces. Preferably, the outer circumference of the wheel is provided with notches and a portion of the notched outer circumference of the wheel projects through an opening of its enclosure for ready access for selective rotation of the wheel.

[0007] In one aspect of the present invention, the wheel is rotatably mounted between opposing panels to define a flat planar appendage to a container. This appendage is anchored along one of its side edges to a side edge or other location on the container thereby permitting the appendage to be freely swung away from the package itself to be accessed by a potential consumer of the goods which are disposed within the container itself. As desired, the appendage may be allowed to swing freely relative the container or it may be releasably bonded to the container in a manner which is readily released by a consumer to more freely access the wheel and/or opposite sides of the appendage for selectively displaying the graphics and/or words on the wheel via a window defined in at least one of the opposing panels between which the wheel is rotatably captured. As desired, graphics and/or words may be provided on both of the opposite flat faces of the wheel and registering windows provided in both of the opposing panels between which the wheel is captured.

[0008] In a further aspect of the present invention, the spinning wheel includes a central hub defined by a disc which has been die cut through the thickness of the wheel. This die cut completely severs a disc from the center of the wheel except for at least one nick which is only of sufficient strength as to retain the disc within the cut out for mechanical assembly of the wheel into the flap panel. This nick is readily severed by rotation of the wheel following its full assembly into the flap panel. The assembly of the wheel within the flap panel includes gluing the opposite flat faces of the disc to respective ones of the front and rear panel members, thereby anchoring the disc, which remains disposed within the central cutout of the wheel, between the front and rear panel members. Thereupon, the disc functions as a hub about which the wheel rotates.

[0009] Still further, in one embodiment of the present invention, contoured supplementary glue flaps are provided in at least partial encirclement of the wheel internally between the opposing panels to enhance the retention of the wheel in position to ensure proper initial and continued registration of the wheel, hence the graphics and/or words on the wheel, with the viewing window in at least one of the front or rear panels.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

[0010]FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of one embodiment of a container having a spinning wheel in accordance with various aspects of the present invention;

[0011]FIG. 2 is a representation of one embodiment of a partially assembled flap panel embodying various features of the present invention.

[0012]FIG. 3 is a laid out view of a blank useful for the formation of a container having a flap panel as depicted in FIGS. 1 and including a plan view of a spinning wheel for incorporation into the container so formed;

[0013]FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a flap panel and taken generally along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

[0014]FIG. 5A is a plan view of a spinning wheel useful in the present invention;

[0015]FIG. 5B is an enlarged plan view of a disc hub useful for rotational mounting of the spinning wheel depicted in FIG. 5A; and

[0016]FIG. 5C is a side elevational view of the disc hub depicted in FIG. 5B.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

[0017] In the embodiment of the present invention depicted in the accompanying Figures, there is provided a container 10, which in the depicted embodiment comprises a rectangular box 12 comprising four side panels 14, 16, 18, and 20 and first and second end closures 22, 24. One 18 of the four side panels defines a front surface 26 of the box and a further one 14 of the side panels defines a rear surface 28 of the box. These front and rear panels are interconnected by first and second splines 30, 32 defined by the side panels 16 and 20. Each end closure, closure 22 for example, in the depicted embodiment comprises a first panel 34 affixed to the top end 36 of one of the side panels (e.g., the front panel 14) and a second panel 38 integrally formed with the distal side edge 40 of the first panel 34, thereby defining a lid for closing the top end of the box. The second end closure 24 is substantially identical to the first end closure and is integrally formed with the bottom edge 42 of the front panel, for example, to define a closure for the bottom end of the box.

[0018] A flap panel 44 is affixed to the box, preferably being integrally formed with the box. This flap panel 44 includes front and rear panel members 46 and 48, respectively, which are joined to one another along a fold line 50 and adapted to be folded into overlying relationship (FIGS. 1, 2 and 4) and defining a form of pocket 52 (See FIG. 4) therebetween for the receipt therein of a spinning wheel 54 in the pocket. In the depicted embodiment, the front panel member is provided with at least one cutout 56 or window through the thickness thereof. As desired, the rear panel member 48 also may be provided with one or more cutouts or windows 58, as desired.

[0019] Within the pocket 52 defined between the front and rear panel members of the flap panel, there is received a planar spinning wheel 54 having visually observable information, such as indicia, graphics and/or words, on one or both of the first 56 and second 58 opposite flat faces of the wheel. The wheel is interposed into the pocket and mounted for rotation of the wheel upon a disc-shaped hub 62 which extends between the front and rear panel members and has its opposite flat faces 64 and 66 anchored to respective ones of the front and rear panel members. In a preferred embodiment, the hub 62 of the spinning wheel is defined by a disc 70 which has been die cut through the thickness of the central portion of the wheel (FIGS. 4, 5A and 5C. This die cut completely severs a disc 70 from the center 72 of the wheel, except for at least one nick 68 which is only of sufficient strength as to retain the disc within the cutout opening 72 in the center of the wheel during mechanical assembly of the wheel and its disc-shaped hub into the pocket defined between the front and rear panel members of the flap panel. This nick is readily severed by rotation of the wheel following its full assembly into the flap panel, thereby freeing the wheel for rotation about the hub.

[0020] The assembly of the wheel within the flap panel includes gluing the opposite flat faces 64 and 66 of the disc hub to respective ones of the front and rear panel members, thereby anchoring the disc hub, which remains disposed within the central cutout 72 of the wheel, between the front and rear panel members. Thereupon, the disc functions as a hub 62 about which the wheel rotates.

[0021] In FIG. 3, there is depicted a blank 74 suitable for use in the formation of a container embodying various aspects of the present invention. The depicted blank includes first and second side panels 14, 18 for the formation of a rectangular box 12, first and second spline panels 30, 32 for the box, and first and second end closures 22, 24. A glue panel 76 is provided along the distal side edge 78 of the first side panel 14 and when the blank if folded, this glue panel is bonded to the spline panel 20 to define a collapsible rectangular box as depicted in FIG. 1. Each of the end closures 22, 24 in the depicted embodiment includes first and second end panels for example, end panels 34, 38 of closure 22, which are joined along a fold line extending along adjacent side edges of these first and second end panels. The first of the end panels is foldably formed along its side edge 80 to the top end 82 of the first side panel 14. The second end closure is substantially identical to the first end closure and is foldably attached to the bottom end 84 of the front side panel 14 of the box. Thus, the end closures serve as lids for the top and bottom ends of the box for the entry or removal of contents to or from the box. Dust flaps 84, 86, 88 and 90 are foldably formed on the top and bottom ends of the splines 16 and 18, respectively. It is to be recognized that the container of the present invention may assume any of a large variety of geometries, such as rectangular, square, cylindrical, conical, pyramidal, etc.

[0022] As seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the container includes a flap panel 44. The depicted flap panel comprises a front panel member 46 and a rear panel member 48. In the depicted embodiment, the front and rear panel members are of like size and geometry so that when assembled, these panel members overlie one another. A side edge 92 of the front panel member is integrally formed with the side edge 94 of the second spline panel 20 of the container, thereby rendering the flap panel freely hinged for movement toward and away from the erected box as seen in FIG. 1. A second side edge 94 of the front panel member of the flap panel is integrally formed with an inner side edge of the rear panel member 48 of the flap panel along a fold line 98. An elongated cutout 100 is interposed along the length of the fold line 98 for purposes of receiving and exposing a portion 102 of the outer circumference 104 of the spinning wheel 54 externally of the flap panel and in position to permit a user to rotate the wheel which is rotatably mounted in the pocket defined between the front and rear panel members of the flap panel. At least the front panel member of the flap panel includes at least one cutout 56 (window) through the thickness of the front panel member at a location consistent with the exposure therethrough of graphics and/or words on the flat face of the spinning wheel disposed in the pocket defined between the front and rear panel members. As desired, multiple cutouts of like or different geometry may be provided for like purposes. Moreover, as desired, the rear panel member of the flap panel also may be provided with one or more cutouts 58 for exposure therethrough of further graphics and/or words on the opposite flat face 66 of the wheel. Such double-sided exposure of the graphics and/or words enhances the ability to provide maximum utilization of the wheel for delivery of information to a user of the container.

[0023] In the depicted embodiment, the distal side edge 106 of the second panel member 48 of the flap panel is provided with first and second supplementary glue flaps 108, 110. Each glue flap is foldable along a respective fold line 112, 114 coincident with the distal side edge 106 of the rear panel member 48, preferably, each glue flap includes glue applied to both of its opposite side surfaces e.g. the front surface 116 and the opposite surface 118 of the glue flap 110 as seen in FIG. 4. Notably, each of these glue flaps includes a contoured portion 120, 122 to conform to a portion of the outer circumference of the wheel. Thus, when the glue flaps are folded back against the inner surface 124 of the rear panel member, such glue flaps become fixed in such positions. The definition of the flap panel includes folding of the rear panel member 48 back against the inner surface 124 of the front panel member 46. When so infolded, the glue flaps, having glue on both their flat surfaces, become disposed between the first and second panel members at locations adjacent the joinder of the flap panel to the container, with their respective contoured portions disposed toward the rotational axis 126 of the wheel. As thus disposed, the glue flaps serve to bond the overlying front and rear panel members to one another, leaving a pocket 52 defined between the front and rear panel members. Further, the contoured portions of the fixed glue panels cooperatively define lateral guides for receiving a portion of the outer circumference of the wheel contiguous to their respective contoured portions. This positioning of the glue flaps enhances the placement of the wheel within the pocket between the front and rear panel members when assembling the flap panel mechanically. Further, in the assembled flap panel, the glue flaps serve as a barrier against lateral displacement of the wheel relative to its rotational axis. This function of the glue flaps is especially of importance in that they are located opposite that portion 102 of the outer circumference 104 of the wheel which is exposed externally of the flap panel and which is the source of forces tending to dislodge the wheel laterally away from its rotational axis during use of the wheel.

[0024] The wheel of the present invention comprises a flat disc 70 having opposite flat faces 64, 66 which preferably are suitable for the printing or like marking thereon of indicia, graphics and/or words. The outer circumference 104 of the wheel preferably is provided with curved notches 128 which enhance the ease of rotation of the wheel by a user. Paperboard, a paperboard laminate material, or a generally stiff, printable polymeric material serves suitably in this application.

[0025] It will be recognized by one skilled in the art that the construction of the container to which the present flap panel is attached is of conventional design and structure, and suitably may include various modifications with respect to its size, geometry and the elements comprising the container. The design and construction of the container element of the present invention thus need not be described herein in detail. The container may be formed from a polymeric material, a paperboard, a laminated material, or other commonly used materials for containing consumer products.

[0026] In the depicted embodiment of the present invention, the container is formed from a blank of paperboard which is embossed with appropriate fold lines to permit the shipment of the container in a collapsed state. The construction of the flap panel of the present invention is consistent with this industry practice.

[0027] In the assembly of the depicted embodiment of the present invention, a blank is folded into a container portion whose opposite ends are left open. As depicted, the container includes a flap panel which includes a front panel member and a rear panel member. One side edge of the front panel member is integrally formed with one side edge of the container.

[0028] As described herein, the flap panel further includes a spinning wheel rotatably captured between the front and rear panel members of the flap panel. To this end, and referring particularly to FIGS. 2, 4 and 5A-5C, assembly of the spinning wheel, having its disc hub die-cut from the center of the wheel, but with the disc hub remaining attached in place by means of at least one nick, takes the form of disposing a spot of glue 130 onto the inner surface 124 of the front panel member 46 at the desired location of the rotational axis 126 of the wheel. Thereupon one face of the disc hub while retained in the central opening 72 of the wheel is urged into the glue spot 130 to become adhered to the inner surface of the front panel member. This action further positions the wheel with a portion 102 of its outer circumference 104 projecting through the cutout 100 defined in the fold line between the front and rear panel members.

[0029] Thereupon, a further glue spot 132 is deposited on the inner surface 134 of the rear panel member 48 at a location which ultimately comes into register with the opposite surface 64 of the disc hub and the rear panel member is folded back upon and into overlying relationship to the inner surface 124 of the front panel member. When the rear panel member is so folded back, the further glue spot 132 on its inner surface engages that face 64 of the disc hub opposite the front panel member, thereby effecting bonding of the disc hub non-rotatably between the inner surfaces of the front and rear panel members, and simultaneously effecting an indirect bonding of the front and rear panels in this overlying relationship.

[0030] That portion 102 of the outer circumference of the wheel which projects exteriorly of the distal side edge 136 of the flap panel is thus made available for engaging the circumference of the wheel by a user for rotation of the wheel. Notably such use of the wheel exerts a force directed laterally from the exposed portion of the circumference of the wheel and radially toward the rotational axis 126 of the wheel. Such force normally would be fully absorbed by the hub, hence rendering the hub vulnerable to its dislodgement or destruction as in the prior art hubs. Avoidance of destructive stress or strain upon the hub of the present invention is accomplished by means of one or more supplementary glue flaps 108, 110 which are foldably integral with the distal side edge 106 of the rear panel member. As noted herein above, in the depicted embodiment, each glue flap includes an edge portion 120, 122 thereof which is contoured to be engaged by the outer circumference 104 of the wheel and to thereby provide lateral (radial) support to the wheel. This function of the glue flap(s), (preferably at least two glue flaps as depicted) enhances the stability of the hub, hence stability of the position of the wheel within the pocket defined between the overlying front and rear panel members of the flap panel, thereby ensuring continuity of registration of the graphics and/or words on the face of the wheel within the viewing window of the front panel. Moreover, the glue on opposite sides of these supplementary flaps(s) provides for additional securement of the front and rear panel members in their desired overlying relationship.

[0031] As thus assembled, the container and the flap panel attached thereto are collapsible into a flat preform for transport to and feeding into a machine which erects the container for the receipt of product therein.

[0032] Whereas the present invention has been described principally in terms of the embodiment depicted in the Figures, it will be recognized by one skilled in the art that the flap panel of the present invention may be attached, either integrally, adhesively, or by other means, to the container. The location of the attachment of the flap panel to the container is a function of the size and/or geometry of the container and/or other factors and is to be selected to most effectively and/or conveniently present the flap panel to the user of the container.

[0033] Further, it will be recognized that indicia, graphics, words or combinations thereof may be applied to one or both of the flat faces of the wheel, and that one or multiple viewing windows may be provided in either or both of the front and rear panel members of the flap panel. The size and shape of the windows may be a function of the information desired to be made visually observable via each such window. Combinations of circular and rectangular windows are depicted in the blank depicted in FIG. 3. 

What is claimed:
 1. In a container the improvement comprising a flap panel affixed to said container, said flap panel comprising front and rear panel members disposed in overlying relationship to one another and defining a pocket therebetween, a wheel having a face which faces said front panel member disposed in said pocket and mounted for rotation within said pocket, with a portion of the outer circumference of said wheel exposed externally of said flap panel for rotation of said wheel by a force applied to said wheel from a location external of said pocket, said wheel including visually observable information on said face thereof, said wheel including a central opening through the thickness thereof, a disc-shaped hub disposed within said central opening through said wheel, said hub including opposite surfaces which are anchored non-rotatably to respective ones of said front and rear panel members, thereby supporting said wheel for rotation about said hub, a cutout through the thickness of said front panel member and in register with said visually observable information on said face of said wheel whereby rotation of said wheel exhibits selectable elements of said visually observable information via said cutout to a user.
 2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said flap panel is hingedly affixed to said container.
 3. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said flap panel is integrally formed with said container.
 4. The improvement of claim 1 including at least one supplementary glue flap interposed and fixedly anchored between the facing surfaces of said overlying front and rear panel members, said at least one supplementary glue flap including a portion thereof contoured and disposed in position within said pocket to receive within said contoured portion a portion of the outer circumference of said wheel.
 5. The improvement of claim 4 wherein said contoured portion of said at least one supplementary glue flap is located generally diametrically across said wheel from that portion of said wheel which is exposed externally of said flap panel.
 6. The improvement of claim 5 and including a plurality of supplementary glue flaps, each of which includes a contoured portion which is substantially complementary to a portion of the outer circumference of said wheel.
 7. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said disc hub is die cut from the center of said wheel and temporarily retained within said central opening of said wheel by a nick defined by a non-cut portion of said die cut disc, said nick providing for initial retention of said disc hub within said central opening of said wheel and subsequent disengagement of said disc hub from said wheel upon the application of a rotational force to said wheel.
 8. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said visually observable information includes indicia, graphics, words or a combination of thereof.
 9. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said container is formed from paperboard or a paperboard laminate.
 10. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said wheel includes notches along its outer circumference.
 11. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said portion of said wheel exposed externally of said flap panel is disposed within that side edge of said flap panel which is distal of the attachment of said flap panel to said container when said flap panel is fully assembled.
 12. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said wheel includes opposite flat faces and visually observable information on both of the opposite flat faces of said wheel and including at least one window defined in said rear panel in register with said visually observable information on said wheel.
 13. The improvement of claim 4 wherein said at least one supplementary glue flap includes glue applied to opposite flat surfaces thereof.
 14. The improvement of claim 13 and including a further supplementary flap having a portion thereof contoured to receive therein a portion of the outer circumference of said wheel.
 15. The improvement of claim 4 wherein said supplementary glue flap is disposed within said pocket opposite the location of that portion of said wheel which is exposed externally of said flap panel and defines a barrier against lateral dislocation of said wheel from its rotational axis.
 16. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said container is of a geometry selected from a symmetrical, non-symmetrical, regular or irregular geometry.
 17. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said front panel member includes multiple cutouts through the thickness of said front panel member and in register with said visually observable information on said face of said wheel.
 18. A blank for forming a container having an integral flap panel, comprising a plurality of side panels and top and bottom panels, respective ones of which are foldably interconnected and when folded define said container, said flap panel including a front panel member integrally formed with at least one of said panels defining said container and a rear panel member integrally formed with said front panel member and adapted to be folded into overlying relationship to said front panel member, and supplementary glue flaps foldably formed along a distal side of said rear panel member in position to be folded into overlying relationship to said front panel member and between said front and rear panel members contemporaneously with the infolding of said rear panel member into overlying relationship with said front and rear panel members.
 19. In a container having a spinning wheel mounted in a pocket defined by overlying planar members associated with said container, for selective display of visually observable information to a user, the improvement wherein said wheel includes a central hub defined by a disc derived from the central region of the wheel and said disc, disposed within said central region of the wheel, is bonded to the overlying planar members of said pocket.
 20. The container of claim 19 wherein said hub is of a thickness substantially equal to the thickness of the wheel.
 21. The container of claim 10 wherein said disc is die cut from the central region of the wheel, said die cut defining a nick within the die cut which retains said disc within the plane of the wheel during assembly of the wheel within the pocket.
 22. The container of claim 21 wherein said disc includes first and second opposite flat faces and including glue interposed between at least one of said flat faces and a respective one of the overlying planar members which define the pocket.
 23. The container of claim 22 and including glue interposed between each of said first and second opposite flat faces of said disc and respective ones of the overlying planar members which define the pocket whereby said disc is anchored against movement thereof within the pocket.
 24. A method for the formation of a container having a spinning wheel appurtenance comprising the steps of providing first and second planar panel members, providing a wheel having first and second opposite faces and a central region concentric with the rotational axis of the wheel, partially severing from said central region of said wheel a disc having first and second flat opposite faces, while said disc is retained within said central region of said wheel, affixing said front face of said disc to said first planar panel member, disposing and bonding said second panel member in overlying relationship to said first panel member with said wheel and disc disposed therebetween.
 25. The method of claim 24 and including the step of affixing said second face of said disc to said overlying second panel member.
 26. The method of claim 25 wherein said a portion of the outer circumference of said wheel is accessible externally of said overlying first and second panel members. 